Comments on: Best of the Blog 2009: Confessions of a Kindle Devotee

By: Janet Ann Collins

Janet Ann Collins — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 08:18:03 +0000

I got a Sony Reader for Christmas and have already read two books on it. None came with it, but I’ve downloaded some classics for $.99 each and plan to get quite a few more.

Why do people think it has to be either e-books or hard copies? I expect to enjoy both. E-books are cheaper, portable, and don’t require shelf space or dusting but traditional books won’t ever have parts burn out or technology become outdated.

By: Laura in Texas

Laura in Texas — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:44:11 +0000

I agree with everything you said about the Kindle, both the pluses and the minuses. I LOVE books — own literally hundreds of them — but I also LOVE my Kindle. Only for fiction, though, like you. It has greatly lightened my load when I travel, since I no longer have to schlep several books with me (I read very fast). And I’m actually buying even MORE books now because I give in to the impulse – when I hear of an interesting book I can go online and order it immediately (from my car or my bed or anywhere!!!). My Kindle goes everywhere with me, since it fits neatly into a side pocket of my purse. Ahh. What a great invention for book lovers!

By: Sharla

Sharla — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 20:14:41 +0000

I bought my daughter a Nook (B&N version) for Christmas and it’s awesome. Touch screen instead of all those buttons, and you can loan a book to another ereader for 14 days. Other person either has to have a Nook or just a B
&N account with downloaded Ereader software which is free. Wifi capability so no computer hookups. Love love love it! I want one now. LOL.

By: Cat Woods

Cat Woods — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:21:08 +0000

I have been debating this for a while. I love the idea of the Kindle–of taking only one “book” on vacation but reading many–but am not sure how I would adapt to the screen instead of the page.

That said, I broke my vow of forever handwriting rough drafts shortly after getting my laptop. Funny how technology does that.

Also, I think I would like the ability to “read” my manuscripts like any other book. It definitely has appeal.

Thanks for the post.

By: Melanie Dickerson

Melanie Dickerson — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:52:12 +0000

The Kindle does sound great, but I guess I’m a little old fashioned. It makes me sad to think of people not buying actual paper books anymore.

By: Susy Flory

Susy Flory — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 19:16:33 +0000

Wendy, the iPod Touch’s small screen was my biggest concern, but so far so good. The brain adapts. I do wear my reading glasses so that I can make the font smaller and not have to turn pages quite so quickly. It doesn’t replace hard copies of books, but it sure is a nice supplement. And I do agree, better for fiction than n/f.

For some reason, n/f requires lots of underlining and marking of pages, with a real pen.

By: Katie Hart

Katie Hart — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:02:15 +0000

The $24.99 vs. $9.99 cuts into how much the author and publisher makes? I wouldn’t think so. How much of the $24.99 goes into retailer markup, shipping, storing, and printing? I think the publisher and author would make the same amount, if not more, on the Kindle sales. Yes, the hardcover sales numbers would sink, but the overall sales would probably increase. Bookstores are the ones hurt by the Kindle.

As a book reviewer, I don’t plan to get a Kindle any time soon. Why should I pay hundreds for a device and $9.99 per book when most of my reading material comes to me free before its release date? I do expect this to change, though, as more professionals within the writing community get ereaders. Publishers will realize they can save money by sending PDFs out for review instead of hard copies.

By: neilgordon

neilgordon — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:56:02 +0000

one more thing i might add to the negatives–the name. “kindle” sounds awful every time i hear it roll off someone’s tongue. i found a funny post about the name, here: http://onthebutton.wordpress.com/2009/08/13/books-are-so-yesterday/

By: sally apokedak

sally apokedak — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:15:29 +0000

Oh, and the coolest thing was that I loaded my brand-spanking-new-just-finished novel onto the kindle and gave it to my mom to read. There it was, all laid out just like a normal book. It was great fun.

By: sally apokedak

sally apokedak — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:10:45 +0000

Yes! I got a kindle for my birthday a few weeks ago and I love it so much I can hardly stand it.

I also am buying way more books than ever–that has got to stop. I can’t see that this is going to hurt authors at all. I do think that releasing to kindle like releasing to CD or paperback is a good idea.

I plan on getting a kindle for each kid for Christmas this year. I LOVE that baby.